Rapidfire Nicky Morgan wastes no time at education questions

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/21/nicky-morgan-education-questions-commons-sketch

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Perhaps Cameron missed a reshuffle trick judging from the sparks shooting from the Hansard stenograph as Nicky Morgan rattled off responses during her first parliamentary questions as education secretary. Transport and the HS2 brief might have been a better bet; London to Loughborough as swiftly as she could spit out AS levels, free schools and no change. Not since Prescott have stenographers faced such a challenge.

First day nerves, efficiency of time, or just eager to get on with it? She has a lot to get on with. Secretary of state, minister for women and equalities, a working parent. "As a working parent I sympathise with all working parents in relation to the availability and affordability of childcare," she rat-a-tat-tatted to a question on holiday childcare. Of course; she's a mother. One of two now in Cameron's shiny new cabinet, and lest we forget it, Maria Miller was on hand to welcome her as "a fellow working mum".

Another mother, Labour's Lucy Powell, was confused. Was Morgan now childcare minister, along with everything else? "I am all for flexi-working, but given the challenge that our country faces in the childcare system, I hope she is able to focus full time on this issue". Working mums "are excellent at multitasking", a brisk Morgan reassured. Somehow, it's difficult to imagine her predecessor, Michael Gove, having to field that one.

The Rt Hon member for Surrey Heath was not in the chamber but his spirit was evoked, warmly by some, less so by others. Kevin Brennan, shadow schools minister, urged Morgan to change the locks on the Department for Education's buildings, to make sure Gove and advisor Dominic Cummings "don't sneak back in after dark". Tristram Hunt, historian, part-time university lecturer and shadow education secretary, paid tribute to "a man full of ideas – they just happened to be the wrong ones".

"After no change on AS levels, work experience, free schools, can the secretary of state explain to the house why she is also continuing with the flawed and unpopular policy of increasing the number of unqualified teachers in our schools?" he asked.

Morgan was in rapid response mode. "It started off so well, but the theatrics are typical of somebody who took part in the Cambridge Footlights when he was there". Then – did she even draw breath? – "I am not going to take lessons from the hon ... oh, wait a minute, in fact he does give lessons as an unqualified teacher, doesn't he?". The new head teacher had done her homework, but she almost lost her line in the machine-gun delivery.

At her side were the new education team, including Nick Gibb, returning as an education minister after losing the same post in the last Cameron reshuffle. The "greatest comeback since Lazarus", observed Brennan.

Gibb looked very happy to be back. "As [Richard Benyon, Conservative MP for Newbury] said to me on Wednesday: 'It just shows you can boil cabbage twice'. It was meant kindly, I think," he mused.

Labour's Keith Vaz was keen to congratulate. "If he has been boiled twice, I wonder what happened to the other vegetables," he observed.